Fruit Infused Water {Staying Hydrated during Summer}

Naturally flavored fruit water infused with a variety of fresh fruit and herbs + Summer Vitamins. 

Texas summers are horrible! All that Texas heat and humidity drain my energy every year and have me dreaming about fall. I don't mind when the temps are in the 80's, but when the mercury pushes 100+ it can get unbearable pretty quick. When the temperature starts to skyrocket all I want to do is stay inside an air conditioned house sipping something cool. 

When it's hot outside, it's very important to keep hydrated and drink plenty of water. Personally, I have a hard time drinking plain water, so I don't consume as much as recommended. Recently I've found that the only way I can drink enough plain water is if I jazz it up a bit by adding fresh fruit and make Fruit Infused Water.  

By adding slices of lemons, limes, and other fruits it makes the water more appealing and I chug it right down. Fruit infused water also has a lot of nutritional benefits, because nutrients and vitamins are released out of the fruit and into the water. It's like making my own vitamin water, but without all the yucky ingredients, dyes, and additives. Lately I've become addicted to this stuff. 

Besides keeping hydrated my family has been also trying to include a multivitamin into our everyday life. This is especially important for my kids, because they don't consume enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. My youngest son is a very picky eater, so vitamins are a must for  him.

When it comes to taking a vitamin supplement my first issue is what vitamins do we need to take? There are so many on the market that it can get a bit confusing. While researching vitamin supplements at Walmart.com I noticed a free online tool called VitaSelect in their health section. 

With Vitaselect you can take a quick personal survey about your lifestyle, health, and diet and Vitaselect will suggest which vitamins are best for you. For myself, it was recommended that I take One a Day Complete Woman's Formula or One a Day Complete for Woman 50+. Both are reasonably priced at $12.97 for a 200 count bottle. the Vitaselect survey was a huge help and took all the guesswork out of what I should purchase on my next trip to Walmart.    

I decided on the One a Day Woman's, Formula for me, One a Day Teen for Her - Multi Vitamin for my daughter, and Little Critters Omega - 3  DHA for my son. I also picked up a bottle of Vitamin E which my family uses on a regular basis. Vitamin E is important, especially in the summer months, because it helps protect us from harmful sun exposure, and can also aid in healing a sunburn. 

For sunburns you can prick a Vitamin E capsule with a pin and squeeze the oil onto the affected area. Gently work the oil into your skin, covering the entire area. Vitamin E oil can be used alone or in combination with Aloe Vera Gel for quick sunburn relief. Another use for Vitamin E is for acne. My daughter dabs the oil from a Vitamin E capsule on her face when she has acne flare ups and it works wonders. 

I have included the recipe and fruit variations for the fruit infused water below. I hope you'll give a few of these flavor combination a try. Keep in mind that fruit infused water is meant to be consumed fresh and on the same day that it's prepared. Store any leftover fruit water, covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but remove the fruit before storing to avoid fruit breakdown. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy summer!!!

DIY Fruit Infused Water

Pint size mason jars

1 1/2 - cups filtered water or coconut water
1/2 - cup ice

3/4  - cup various fresh fruits (lemons, limes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries,

oranges, mango, peaches, kiwi's, and pineapple)

Add sliced and cut up fruit to the bottom of each jar. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into each jar. Refrigerate jars for at least 2 -3 hours. Stir and add ice just before serving. You can store the fruit infused water in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but remove the fruit before storing.

Fresh Fruit Flavor Combinations:

Blueberry - Strawberry

Peach - Mango

Lemon - Blueberry

Blueberry - Blackberry 

Strawberry - Lemon - Basil

Lemon - Lime - Mint 

Strawberry - Lime
Orange - Blueberry 

Blueberry - Blackberry - Strawberry

Lemon - Lime - Orange

Lemon - Orange - Mint 
Watermelon - Mint
Watermelon - Coconut water

Blackberry - Lemon 
Grapefruit 

Pineapple Chunks - Coconut Water 

Mango - Pineapple - Coconut Water

Strawberry - Kiwi 
Herbs: Mint, Rosemary, and Basil

Cook's Note: To avoid bitterness remove the rind on citrus fruits before adding, especially if they will be stored in the refrigerator.  

This post was sponsored by Walmart, but my opinions are my own.